Growing Love
by Phoenixica24
Summary: Time passes and the yokai go into hiding, until they grow sick of hiding like rats and come clean with the world in modern times. To help improve relations between yokai and humans, several of the Inu-pack's members are forced to take human spouses. The pressure is on as the world watches to see how they will get along, and Sesshomaru, as the next heir to the throne, does not want


**A/N: This is my first Inuyasha fic, so please bear with me and let me know if you think I should continue! **

**Dedicated to my beta Azzie(Inkfire) for looking this over despite not knowing the first thing about the fandom besides whatever of my fangirl ramblings she remembers. ;)**

Prologue:

514 years passed since Kagome chose to stay in the Feudal Era. She became Inuyasha's wife and through him, gained an immortality and power almost equal to his, and those of their children.

Surprisingly, Inuyasha offered Miroku and Sango the same extension, which would be granted to their offspring through them. However, that was the most he could do, so they had to let Kaede go, to everyone's grief. As the world progressed towards Kagome's time, demons hid away and stayed quiet, often taking on more human forms in order to blend in. The gang ran into Inutaisho and Izayoi in Australia, and after Inuyasha had thrown an unholy fit about them abandoning him by faking their deaths, they accepted the duo as part of their pack and moved on.

A few decades later, they caught sight of Sesshomaru-with Rin still beside him! Rin, Kagome, Sango, and Izayoi became very close friends, whereas Inutaisho was hated by both his sons for many years, and Izayoi remained hated by Sesshomaru for far longer.

The gang stayed far from Japan as they neared the years 1951 through 1998, which were the years of Kagome's previous life. It simply wasn't a good idea to mess with such things. However, after the past Kagome had left for good, she went back to her old family and introduced them to her new one. Kagome and her new family still went by for holidays and kept in touch.

Around the year 2000, uneasy mutterings began reaching the ears of the inu-yokai of the remaining demons planning to rebel and take back their lands, throwing the entire world into a second Feudal Era. A number of small scuffles quickly escalated to the threat of war, and Inutaisho began looking for a solution. He contacted several human governments and international peace organizations, warning them of the threat and pleading for cooperation. He had both his sons and their 'packs' there, officially adopting them all as members of his 'pack'.

Since Sesshomaru had kept his original guardian-like, father-daughter relationship with Rin, Inutaisho felt that his son still had not turned from his dark and lonely path. So he declared that unless Sesshomaru married and mated a human woman of his father's choosing, Inutaisho would withhold his inheritance, including Tenseiga, and cast him out, disown him, and take his title and authority. He hoped that this would be enough motivation to lead Sesshomaru in the right direction.

Sesshomaru was, of course, furious. But for the sake of himself and Rin, he had to agree. His father went to extreme lengths to find the perfect woman for his son. Sesshomaru relented enough to make his own demands, such as she must be able to be quiet, understanding, but stand up for herself. Inutaisho pointed out that quiet and fiery were two completely opposite qualities, and Sesshomaru merely gave him a pointed glare, sending the message 'you got yourself into this' clear as day. His father wanted it to become a healthy relationship, despite the fact that he knew it wouldn't start that way. In fact, it would start as anything but, so he needed someone with just enough forgiveness for that one time, and no more.

Inutaisho spent several years searching. He followed recommendations and contacted many large corporations, but they all turned him away, not wanting relations with a yokai. Finally he contacted HP, which left the decision up to their employees. One man from Chicago said his daughter fit the description, but that she was only sixteen. Inutaisho spoke with his pack, and Kagome quickly assumed the girl had been mistreated. Sesshomaru put his foot down, saying he would not be her mental therapist. But Inutaisho refused to listen, insisting that she had all the qualities Sesshomaru had listed, was accomplished and hardworking, an athletic scholar and musician, nominated for National Honor Society. "You can't get much better than that in this day and age." he reminded his son harshly. "And she matches your specific requirements-is the only one who does so, in fact. It's almost as if you chose her yourself. Now be quiet." he ordered. Sesshomaru pouted for months after that encounter.

Meanwhile, plans were laid out for the demons to come out of hiding, and that was set as the day Sesshomaru would meet his fiancée. It would be over Thanksgiving break, 2012. It worked out perfectly since she was American and would therefore be giving thanks on that day. Sesshomaru used his duty as the rain cloud to point out that she would hardly be giving thanks for having control of her life taken away from her, but Inutaisho ignored that as well. Sesshomaru went into pouting mode yet again, and Rin began spending less time with him and more with Kagome and the other women.

Sesshomaru wasn't the only one having an arranged marriage, engaged to a human, but that didn't make him feel any better. Several of his nieces and nephews were in the same situation, the only difference being that they had willingly agreed, whereas he had not.


End file.
